The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-02-10
o 4 Ar4'si''i: '
o,vueN- UERRlLLAS MADE LIFE
'" &c, rAsANT ON STEAMERS.

"a. psrtisans Fishing for Fed
'' cudeeops-steamboat Passengers
r,rc-IIow the Robbery of
wa. Peremptoriiy stopped.
49,. arnusementS OF the period was
one ~ 80, on a steamer mp 10 Cairo. IL
10 taA' nv an exciting amusement Tho
was s., haunted by Guerrillas, who some
banN "a with them a SIX pound gnS,
tine ..,;,. often made lie on the steamer
AID "D' They were skillful fishermen,
unl l,err,rss: they angisd for Federals, and
S'@ lived the most tempting bait Ono
t5sl '"l' MS of bait used was cotton. A
o. ~ h,ne along tho stream would spy
boa - dozen bales Of cotton piled on
BAL o',, .,d would at once steer for II with
he ''''' - r,,ying il II there was an owner, or
syHN ~ .confscating' it II nobody was
c0o"t unity The steamer would run
% 20 throw out the gangplsnk, and get
1'l.' =, ii, up 20 some tree, when there
r''l Z, suddenly be heard shrill yells, vol
ro'' ,'..,.ss,ry would follow, and Whoop-
ley o. D.3 n butternuts would board the
ins O. ., trough the safe and the paSSon-
boa" ererything valuable and portable,
Az nj. '-, Yankee gudgeon bit at this cotton
n'-'. ,,,s hooked beyond rescue. In time
ba'' econ hunter grew moro cautious. lie
ta' 60 oirccrlv toward the tempting dis
o1 o.. he came up just touching the nose OF
pa Ia. % the landing without throwing
~ a.. -,ncplank, so as 20 be ready to sheer
o. '- - III -btest sign Of danger. One has
o. wary trout thus approach
...,,.. worm ready 20 turn tail and scud
'o--. b., .,,e of anything suspicious or the
80 hook DO the appetizing appearance.
pc pa ,..-. bends iu the river where the guer-
Az ...,r5 G. concealed until the boat was
IT,, .ro.e cun,hot, and were able TO send
-"t.if dozen volleys before the imperiled
80 could cet out Of range One day, be-
80. Memphis and Cairo, the Hillman was
'-,,.o.iir- .e.,urely up the river without any
Pp.'.....or NJ danger. a passenger was seated
- -. barbor's chair being shaved, when a
-, suddenly opened on the boat The
g. tal killed the barber and passed on
.-..l.,,t iu the least interfering with the Gus
toner ... ,-,,.
PASSENGERS UNDER FIRE.
n. s,eb occasions there was little to be
,,,.irej i'm the shape Of provision for safety.
EVERYTHING about a steamer was so frau that
IN rl..e " being protection the upper struct-
rre rs4l.vatied tothe danger from the flying
e--;-.sr. About the only thing available
,-,s On l., flat on the floor with the head or
o.. toward The direction of fire 50 as to ex-
49, the smallest possible portion of the form
u the missiles Of the guns. WhllelyinS there
t,e roar " the artillery, the yells of tho Con-
f.s.-3te,. tho crash of the shot through the
,,,,fvr,rs the noise Of tearing timber, the
,-.rar.a-c expectation of being slewered by
q Iona SPLINTER or being bored through longi-
t,5r4rr with round shot, were anything
I'M. pleasant. IL seemed 10 the passenger
b,--r- the floor and trying to make HIM
.r..a compass, not larger than a knitting
raeH- that the boat was an eternity in getting
avar from tho locality. 1t was a time when
N. -res- boat on the river apparently
us.u1 better time than that of the slowest
Of g3I,
Bst,rlring on the river were subject 20
Visitation. ar every wood yard The officers
ratei these visits and prepared for them.
U.rwml leave few hundred dollars in
hs ,qfe far show. end the remainder of the
money they would hide in the mattresses
When boarded by guerrillas they would open
The safe after "a little persuasion, and the
robbers u0o fake the cash contents, satisfied
UuI.r bad secured all the available plum
der N4rrot the boats were captained by
Confederate. fact which was known to the
bl,wmc.ar,. with the result that such boats
wsrer.tl --lrbei or were occasionally halted
and ar.u.l as "a matter of show for the bene-
ft0tt- galleries.
Ir4I ODD. Instance i'm which the robbery
wa, u t.. other side The Platte Valley
$50, conveying q company Of new troops
down OBJ, river when, at a point between
Cairo and Memphis the boat made landing
t0ga, some wood There lived in little log
h0l, 40 the Joint a widow with four sons,
alot whom were in the Union army, with the
entire sympathy of the mother The valorous
recruit, swamed ashore and event through
thepam.se, Of the old lady in a brief time.
Every chicken egg bit of meat, everything
edible, including pigs and calves, and any
thing md everything in the house which
attracted tbs fancy Of the raiders, and which
could be eaten or sent home as a trophy, was
gobDei up and carried on the boat.
WEAK COMMANDER.
The captain of tho company tried his best
70 restrain the men, but, while well inten-
toned he was weak He was from the same
locality as hi, men, and many Of them called
HIM by bis first name instead Of his title, and
apparently had no respect for him
The officers Of the boat offered such objec.
tons as they dared, and the old lady stormed,
Wept avowed her Union sentiments, and as
serted that this fact and that she had four
Sons in the Union army should protect her
Iom ruin by the northern men. 1t was all
use.ess The men laughed at her, and scoffed
a lhe claim that she was a Union woman.
The boat was about 10 cast off the lineR, and
the cd lady was reluctantly being forced
Gown the gangplank when suddenly a clear
voice was heard above the clamOr;
captain, form your men in line"
4he voice was clear penetrating, and filled
WIN Imperative suggestions. There was
quick cessation Of the uproar Everybody
turned to look on the speaker He was
slender man in citizens clothing a stranger